The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-06

bondholder. l had always thought that ought
to be rich, and here entire stranger who
had discovered my fitness for the position. TINS
little tribute, bestowed in such an artless mar
ner, awoke my gratitude. l couldn't turn ON
this appreciatiye little man and say, NO.
didn't have the heart to do It, l wanted to let
him down softly. for he seemed SO hopeful. So
said that should like to buy-meaning TO ex-
plain to him, however, that was not at present
able to do so. Poor man, he did not see the
point was trying to make his eyes nasheo
His arms few about until he looked like clrcu-
lar saw. His jaws futtered and Tapped from the
fluent flippancy' of his words, from which at
intervals l extracted: "Only 600 foot
double your money in month-blggest fortunes
ever made in the shortest time-unp araleled
future-a hundred thousand inhabitants by the
next censusl" He paused and drew in deep
inspiration Of the costly real estate that was I'LL
ing the air. A quiet Joy rested upon his coun-
tenance, for he saw that he had touched great
number of my numerous feelings. He nestled
closer to my side, and took this kind citizen
who seemed to have such tender interest IN
me into my confidence. / revealed nv business
plans TO him / told him that l was not rich,
but that believed could honestly say, after
having thought the matter over calmly. that
was not averse to becoming so. That even then
/ was on my way to the West to teach school,
and soon. ''when the leaves began to turn"
would return laden with gold and precious
stones, and / would invest in his valuable lots
take nine inches, or perhaps il l should be un-
usually successful take foot. a whole foot |
turned to catch the glad look that l thought
should find in his eye; but he was fading away
/ saw only his coat-tails twinkling as he flew out
of sight in cloud of wind and dust-that val
liable dust
There are nearly three hundred of these real
estate agents in the city. They have probably
been the most important factor in its growth,
keeping the place by their enterprise and adver-
tisements constantly before the country. and
causing its property to change hands with mar
velous rapidly and at ever-increasing prices.
il acf0
their own town. On this subject you won't ind
modest man in the place. heard CONNER
cial traveller telling story OF Birmingham
man who visited New York The friend who
was showing him through the great metropolis
asked him what he thought OF it. "Wel." he
said. 'it's very rice place, but it's too far from
Birmingham to ever do much good"
said to an old friend of mine who is doing
business here. man whom always regarded as
having honesty and sense combined, and who
by the way is as rampant an orator about the
future of Birmingham as there is in the place:
Now. look here. YOU say that this is going
to be big city. / want you to tell me why you
| think So"
WELL he said, s'to give you the thing in a
nutshell We can manufacture iron here and
lay 1t down in Pittsburg at fair profit for less
| than it costs to make it there. Secondly, upon
our coal mines; and thirdly, upon the hundreds
of different kinds of manufactures that will fol-
low in the wake of crude iron; beside this coun-
try offering, on account of its mild climate, ad-
4
further North. Oh! just stay here awhile, he
4 continued, land you'll get the fever
| Birmingham has certainly the most exception
| al facilities for the manufacture of crude iron
the ORE limestone and coal. the three reduisi-
ties being found in inexhaustible quantities in
the immediate vicinity: conditions which exist
| in TO other country in the world where iron is
| made. Longer or shorter haus have to be made
for one or more of these three materials used in
its making. In the city. and within radius OF
| twenty-five miles around it, there are, believe,
| about fifteen blast furnaces This is
called the Birmingham district ]
visited one of these. the .'Alice.
1t is we'll worth visit, as a matter of interes,
and curiosity: was impressed with the colos
| sal iron architecture and the grand scale or
which the work was done. While l was looking
up at the flame, leaping ftfuly from the top OF
the great furnace. the engineer who had charge
| of the blast-engines, and who was showing me
through, said that one day a man had gone W
on the ore elevator. and had committed suicide
by jumping into the furnace His observation
| struck me with peculiar force Not the fact of &
man committing suicide, for that is a very every
day occurrence, but the originality Of the means
employed, and the awfulness and certainty O.
his death plan. This hollow cylinder into which
ne plunged was heated to 5000 Fahren heit-a
heat that melts rocks like wax-and through
this white-hot mass of molten rock and iron
| blast was being driven that must have carried
even the ashes of his bones far up into the air
Almost in the twinkling of eye what was
/ man had become part of the surrounding at
| mosphere.
| Until / saw this furnace / had an idea tina
| the Birmingham boom was airbadder which
might collapse at any time. but the evidence o
capital that was invested in this immense struc
ture-one of ffteen-convinced me that tn
place is solid foundation. Nevertheless
the amount of business that is being done is no
sufficient for the tremendous amount Of energ.
| displayed in doing it. 1t seems to be the obiec
of every citizen of the place to impress upon
stranger the fact that the place is on a boom
Even the bootblacks try to create the impression
on you that they have an immense press O
business on hands, and must hurry on to blacl
fifty pair Of boots around the next corner. Thi
useless expenditure of effort reminded m
forcibly of dog whirling around in circle
trying to overtake the flea that is biting the en-
| of his tail.
Birmingham is situated in a valley, and
said to be unhealthy on account of having n
natural drainage, and also from the smoke an
Stag dust that are constantly filling the Air
''See Rome and die" You can enjoy the sam
privilege here in high degree. unless you
lungs are better constituted for inhaling smok
and dust than pure air In that case you vii
thrive; you will find the conditions favorable Il
| your growth. Cleanliness is a thing that ma
be attempted, but / saw one who struck N
as being success in that line. On account @
its rapid growth, there is no uniformity in tn
buildings, fine buildings and shantes being yer
much jumbled up together The place contains
according to the Birmingham estimate. so 900 ir
habitants. and suppose 1t really has about 30
O0O Its growth into a city of 100, 600 inhabi
ants at very distant period is, on account G
its natural resources and the start it has oil
tained reasonable suppostion. The onl
question which presents itself to shake this propf
ecy is that no place not situated where waite
transportation is available mas ever attaine
any great size; never. I think, hundred tho,
sand inhabitants. But this is rapidly becomin
age of railroads, by which inland commerce
is almost altogether carried on, and it may h
that i n the future, water transportation will M
be q requisite to growth into large cities
| We took our departure at night, watching tt
numerous fires of the coke ovens, which locke
like burning prairie, and left this America
wonder sleeping in the midst of its ore bed
dust and prosperity.
Losses by Fire.
| Special to the Indianapolis Journal.